Covenants of Requiem
In Vampire: The Requiem, White Wolf dissoved the sects of old. There is no Camarilla (not anymore, anyway), no Sabbat, no True Hand, etc. The problem with some of these sects was one of constant warfare. This general interpretation set the stage for Vampire: The Masquerade turning from a game of personal horror to one that was action oriented. There are many differing opinions on this, and some people rather enjoyed the aspect of playing a predator with preternatural strength in an eternal war against elder undead with unfathomable powers. However, to help alleviate the level of constant warfare in the game, White Wolf made five Covenants in Requiem. Each Covenant has its own goals, beliefs, political structure, and in some cases, special abilities. However, noen of them are at war with one another on a constant or global basis. Yes, two Covenants may be at war in New York, but in Chicago they may have several pacts and a strong alliance. Membership in one Covenant does not equate to hatred from all others. For Requiem, the primary focus is no longer on global sect or clan, but on Covenant and social interaction with those Kindred whom you live in a city with. No single Covenant dominates North America. There are domains run by every Covenant, much like city states. While clan may be important and hold sway over the Requiems of some Kindred, it is no longer such a driving force in their nightly existence. The Carthian Movement The Carthain Movement is a covenant of Kindred reformers. Although the exact goals of the Carthians vary from city to city and from person to person, the covenant's ideas generally encompass tolerance (within reason), equality, and fair representation of individuals' rights and needs. The Movements is an agent of change, and its members tend to have a reputation as firebrands, if not revolutionaries--a reputation that is often well-deserved. The Carthians tend to adopt ideas from (and to Embrace childer from) libertarian, liberal, or leftist mortal institutions, and to a lesser extent from disenfranchised minority groups. As such, Carthians tend to favor philosophical ideas such as Democracy, collective action, diversity, secularism, and individual rights, although exceptions to each of these can be found among the members and factions of the Movement. Although the Movement is the youngest of the Covenants (it's less than two centuries old), its members aren't simply drawn from the ranks of neonates; Carthan ancillae and even elders are just as committed to the ideas of the Movements as the more modern Kindred in the Covenant. (-used from the Unofficial White Wolf wiki; it was a good write up) Comparison to the Classic World of Darkness: The Carthian Movement has its roots, in my opinion, in idealist Brujah philosophy. The Brujah clan in the Classic World of Darkness would rage and rabble rouse against the abuses of power and inequality in Kindred society. The Carthian Movement takes that idea and spreads it across a Covenant level, no longer leaving it to a single clan. The Circle of the Crone The Circle of the Crone is a Covenant of Warlocks and Witches. They delve into the darker aspects of teh Kindred condition and powers of the blood through rituals and sorcery (which they call Cruac). Most of these rites are bloody, sometimes violent affairs where the practitioners call out to the Crone, a mythical Goddess figure that is venerated by the Circle. The Crone takes many forms, some cities or groups of Circle members use the iconography and identity of Lilith, while others use female deity figures (such as the Morrigan, in some cases), or more abstract imagery, such as the Fates of Greek myth. Local tradition usually dictates which iconography is used for the Crone in cities, with the occasional splinter group differing in belief and worshipping or praying to another Goddess. The Circle celebrates many pagan holidays, performing rites and restivals in-house to venerate their Goddess. Comparison to the Classic World of Darkness: Take away Thaumaturgy Paths, keep rituals, add to them, and take away the rigid structure/oath of clan Tremere, rewinding their rites to the Dark Ages, add a side of violent worship and pagan idoltry, and you have the Circle of the Crone. Their rites are bloody and not for those of high humanity. Invictus Called the First Estate, the Invictus has its roots in Roman Times. During the halcyon days of the Camarilla, one Covenant, called the Senex, passed laws and kept order much the way that the Senate of Rome did for the world of daylight. Within the Senex, the inner circle, the Invictus was born. After the fall of the Camarilla in the 4th century, no one could ever reclaim the glory of the sect. The Lancea et Sanctum (called, simply, the Lancea Sanctum in these times) emerged as a full Covenant and the First Prince of Rome came from their ranks. At least, this is the legend. The Invictus claim much the same in regards to the first Prince. No one can agree on who is correct. However, one thing is certain, the Invictus and the Lancea Sanctum are more often than not allies against the 'upstart' Covenants. While the truth of Rome may be lost to the Fog of Eternity, the Invictus continues to this day, providing leaders and idols for other Kindred. They espouse advancement based on opportunity and ambition, they give order and structure, and they are never at a loss, it seems, for money, blood, or mentorship. The Invictus uses influences, allies, money, blood, and prestige to carve their way through the nights. Comparison to the Classic World of Darkness: Take the old Ventrue and Lasombra clans, add the old Camarilla, and flavor with Monomacy. The Invictus is pretty much like that. Lancea Sanctum Born out of the teaching of Loginus, the Roman Centurion whose spear pierced the side of Christ and caused his death on the cross, the Lancea Sanctum teaches and preaches that vampires are damned creatures. Longinus brought the Lancea Sanctum together after he wandered through nation after nation, cursed by God to be a vampire after tasting Christ's blood as he ran him through. After accepting his state, Longinus preached that, as damned beings, vampires had a purpose given unto them by God Almighty--to be his scourge on the mortal populace, to be the crucible of the faithful. To embody what it is to be a damned thing and by doing so, bring light to what can be attained by being faithful to God. The Lancea saw its beginnings during the days of the Camarilla in ancient Rome. When the Camarilla fell, the Invictus and Lancea Sanctum gave shape to what came after. Often called the Second Estate, the Lancea sanctum has held moderate sway in Chicago for some time, led by the imposing and charismatic Solomon Birch. Now that Birch is gone, however, lost to the Scourging, the Covenant's future remains unclear. Comparison to the Classic World of Darkness: Think Path of Night. The Lancea are the whips at the back of humanity to prod them toward righteousness. They fully realize that they are damned and are set to be a plague upon humanity to cull theherd of the worthy and to test those of faith. Specialty Discipline: Theban Sorcery. Ordo Dracul Founded by the legendary Dracula, the Ordo Dracul holds an interesting place in the Covenants. All the other Covenants deal with either social or political power, spiritual power, or power over one's environment. The Ordo Dracul espouses power over the self and over the curse of vampirism. Legend has it that Dracula was cursed by God to be a vampire after he fell on the field of battle. There, in his defiance and rage, he was made a predator of men. As that rage and bloodlust subsided, however, he began to seek out ways to transcend the curse of God and become more than what he was. Through this period of discovery, he began laying the foundations of what the Ordo Dracul call the Coils of the Dragon. These discoveries, these Coils, all revolve around transcending the undead condition in some way. While Dracula and his brides may have seemed to vanish into myth, the Ordo Dracul is very real and still dedicated to transcending vampirusm through the methods laid down by its founder. Comparison to the Classic World of Darkness: In an odd way, the transcendence theme and occult mysticism of the Ordo Dracul rings to the Tzimisce clan's Path of Metamorphosis--though not as stringent, nor alien. The Ordo Dracul is fascinated in change that can be made by the death of even just one individual as it ripples through the lives that were touched by the deceased. The Dracula connection is obvious, as well, but where the Fiends were monsters and polite vivisectionists, the members of the Ordo are more calm in their dealings with others. Specialty Discipline: Coils of the Dragon.